Spirit of the Angel Warrior
by YukitoK
Summary: Legolas is missing from Mirkwood. Can a new Ranger find him? Not a slash, but it could get pretty wierd. Dale and Bard show up in chapter three, so have fun.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Spirit of the Angel Warrior

By: Yukito

Rating: PG (some scary images).

Disclaimer: Don't own them, Any of them, never made money off of them and don't plan to, #Gets a far away look in her eye# though that would be neat #Shakes herself out of it#, whatever.  Tolkien owns all.

Summary:  An Elf child spirit is lonely and wants a friend, he finds Legolas in the woods and a party ensues.  Meanwhile, Halbarad and the 22 year old Aragorn are heading to Dale and hear tell that Tharanduil's youngest son is missing.  So it begins.

Prologue

He perched on a limb, perfectly balanced.  He had left his bow at home, but his knives were heavy on his back.  He didn't want them, but didn't dare travel without them these days and though his people were rather well known for being somewhat paranoid, he thought it an annoying, if well informed decision to bring them with.  He didn't have a specific destination that day, other than a half-minded notion of heading south.

He sighed heavily and brushed some blond hair out of his face as he took in the forest.  Once Greenwood the Great now…Legolas smiled to himself…Mirkwood the Murky.  The smile fell and the prince closed his bright grey eyes to the darkness that had once been his home.

He remembered something his father had told him about the race of elves; "we carry in our hearts the greatest joy and the deepest sorrow."

He stretched out a long, pale hand and lovingly stroked the trunk of the tree he stood on.

"I am sorry my friends," he whispered to the forest.

The darkness seemed to lift momentarily as if the trees were accepting his apology and offering one of their won.

"I wish I could help."

If they could have, the trees would have smiled at him sadly, but as it was they could only push away the darkness farther from their friend and prince and hope to lighten his heart that way.  The darkness soon closed in again leaving only small spot around Legolas and he seemed almost to be a candle in some deep, lonely cavern.  He felt a tear slip down his cheek and wiped it away with another sigh.

One of his blades slipped from it's canvas sheath on his back and fell glittering to the earth far below.

Legolas rolled his eyes, it figured.

He gracefully descended the tree and was about to pick up his sword when he felt a small sting, like a bite of a small insect on his neck.  The world began to spin and he fell to his knees in the dark underbrush.  He put a hand to his neck and pulled a small dart from the soft flesh of his throat.  He blinked at it stupidly for a moment, then fell onto his back and he could have sworn he saw a child's face above him before darkness took him.  Then he laid there, his fair hair spread about him and over the dark ground.  The candle flickered weakly in the inky blackness, before it was consumed altogether.  The Fallen Angel hoped briefly someone would find him, and that that someone wasn't a spider. 


	2. Rangers

Chapter 1: Rangers 

Aragorn paused as he walked behind Halbarad. His neck hurt suddenly and he tried working out the kink, but it remained so he shrugged and followed after the other ranger.

"Did you feel that?" asked Halbarad stopping.

"Feel what?" Asked Aragorn, his soft voice rumbling in his throat.

Halbarad glanced to the south-east, his brow furrowed.

"One of the Elfin kin…no…the feeling is gone now."

"Orcs?" asked Aragorn.

"No, I think not. Something less obviously evil. It has passed now, let us be on our way."

"Where are we going?" 

"I thought maybe to check on the men of Dale and see how their rebuilding has come along."

Aragorn nodded, "Bard has done well, if all I hear tell is true."

"How old were you when Smaug was destroyed Aragorn?"

Aragorn thought about it for a moment before answering, "About ten."

Halbarad smiled at his relatively new friend, "It is still a little hard to believe."

At the furrowed brow from Aragorn he chuckled, "That a scrawny runt like you will ever be king."

Aragorn rolled his eyes at him. He was quite used to the jesting by now and didn't take it at all seriously, nor did he find it particularly funny.

Halbarad beamed at him, "We will take our time, you can be our guide, we will see how you do, if we even get there."

Aragorn shrugged and turned south-east. Halbarad could joke all he liked, but Aragorn was a son of Elrond and unbeknownst to Halbarad, he knew full well where Dale lay. He let a half-smile onto his face. Halbarad thought he was tricking the young man, but Aragorn knew he would be avenged in Halbarad's little game, and he wouldn't have to say a word.


	3. Dale

Chapter 2: Dale 

They got to Dale within two weeks. Halbarad just about tipped over when Aragorn led him right to it. Aragorn had never been to the town, so he let Halbarad lead him through the streets. They came to a large wooden building and the guards didn't give them a second glance as they passed through the archway that led to the main hall. 

"Halbarad, my friend! What brings you here and who is your companion?" 

Halbarad embraced the Master of Dale and then stood smiling at him, "We just came to see how all is faring here, it looks well, these halls are fairer than before, though filled with less history."

Bard nodded his agreement. Aragorn drifted into a shadow and let the two friends reacquaint themselves.

Finally Bard said, "Where is that young man who was with you?"

Aragorn immerged from his "hiding place" and stood blinking at the man.

"May I present Estel, son of Elrond of Rivendell," said Halbarad and Aragorn gave a little bow.

"My, my a son of Elrond, but he is not an elf is he?"

"No," said Halbarad, "But he might as well be, he acts enough like one."

A shadow passed over Bard's face, "Speaking of elves we have heard tell that Thranduil's youngest son is missing. Nice little guy too, though little isn't how I would describe him exactly, he does seem more fragile than his father. Quite a fighter though, he was with my group at the Battle of Five Armies, deadly with a bow and arrow, but a kinder soul you could not hope to meet."

Something kindled in Aragorn's eye, "What does he look like?"

"Well, let's see now…about your height, maybe a little taller, but as I said, fragile looking and thin. His hair is a rather remarkable shade of gold, rimmed with white. He has long hands, nimble fingers and paler-than-a-wight skin. Also keen grey eyes the like of which I have never seen, but he always seemed to me to be sad, as if some weariness of age was upon him that none could lift, though he was always a rather jolly spirit and always one for a good laugh. If you could talk to the trees in Mirkwood I would bet they would tell you a great deal more, rumor has it that the trees love him deeply for he walks among them often and sings to them." 

"When did he go missing?" asked Halbarad.

"About two weeks ago more or less. He was out for a day trip with only his two knives and said to his father that he would return within the week, he has not and now the Wood-Elves fear some evil fate has come upon him."

"They may be right," said Aragorn.

"I hope not," said Bard. "And you would hope against it too if you met him."

"I do not need to meet him to hope against it," he replied mildly, "I have never hoped for pain for any of the Eldar."

Bard laughed, "An elder he is not. He his a good warrior, but rather sheltered, he IS a prince."

Aragorn arched and eyebrow at him as his elfin brethren flashed through his head and what they would have to say to Bard's comment ran vividly across his mind; he smiled and said nothing.

Bard's keen gaze settled on Aragorn, "If you are going to look for him, I would advise against you going to see Tharnduil first. He has a hot temper and loves his children greatly and is very overprotective of them."

Aragorn's eyes flared, "And yet he permits, at least his youngest go to war."

Bard smiled, "Legolas is nearly 3,000 years old, I dare say Thranduil had little say in the matter."

"Oh I would daresay he had something to say," said Halbarad with a bitter smile.

Bard turned to him, "You speak as if you know him."

"I met him once, but I have only had the honor of meeting one of his sons," there was no sarcasm in his tone and Aragorn marveled at him for a moment, Halbarad rarely spoke highly of anyone, unless they were worthy of the praise. 

"Who did you meet?"

"Brethil once saved me from...well that's not important..." he shot Aragorn an amused glance.

Aragorn sighed and then said grimly, "It seems to me that there is something amiss about the whole situation," said Aragorn grimly.

"What do you mean?"

Aragorn's sigh was exasperated this time, "What enemy would dare enter Mirkwood, even for such a prize as a prince?"

"It may be that he was captured by something that already dwelt in the forest," said Bard.

"Like spiders?" said Halbarad.

Aragorn rolled his eyes, obviously impatient with the older men. They looked at him expectantly.

"Legolas has lived in Mirkwood all his life and surely if he is as great a warrior as you say Master Bard, he would not be caught unawares by spiders."

Bard regarded Aragorn for a long moment and then began to laugh, "Halbarad is right, you are akin to an elf."

Aragorn arched and eyebrow and frowned at him.

Halbarad tried miserably not to laugh at this.

Bard smiled, "You are always welcome here Master Estel of Rivendell."

Aragorn bowed, "Thank you Master, I will do my best to find Legolas."

"That would be wonderful, last I heard he had been going south."

"Toward Dol Guldur?" said Halbarad alarmed. 

Bard nodded, "That's what the scouts from Thranduil's kingdom said."

"So, you are in contact with the scouts?" said Aragorn.

Bard nodded, "At my request. Legolas is a good friend and I hope you find him." 


End file.
